Automatic lock



Jan. 11, 19.44. 1. H. HoBsoN ET AL 2,3332073 l 1 MJToMA'JiIC LQGK Filed Feb. 25, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNV'ENTORS Patented Jan. 11, 1944 AUTOMATIC LOCK John H. Hobson and Frank A. Burger, Sulphur Springs, Ark.

Application February 23, 1942,*Seria1`No.'432,076

1 Claim.

The device forming the subject matterof this application is adapted to be usedon doubledoors, and the invention aims to provide a novel latch mechanism wherebyvone door will be held closed when the other door is moved to a closed position, the latch mechanism requiring no attentionon the part of an operator.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devicesofthat type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction herein after described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows in perspective, a device constructed in accordance with the invention, one of the doors being opened;

Fig. 2 is a perspective wherein the doors are shown closed;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a perspective showing one of the latch bars, parts being broken away;

Fig. 8 is a perspective showing one of the supports for the latch bars.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is adapted to be used in connection with a supporting structure of any sort, such as a building having double doors.

A floor is shown at I, a side wall appearing at 2, the numeral 3 marking a frame in the side wall, the frame dening a doorway7 4.

The doorway 4 is controlled by a first door 5 and a. second door 5, hinged to swing horizontally on the frame 3.

A recess I is formed in the floor I and is surrounded by a xed keeper plate 8 having an opening 9.

At its free edge, the door 6 is provided with a lock I6 adapted to cooperate with a keeper on the door 5, the door 6 carrying an upper wear plate I 2 and a lower wear plate I4. The top portion of the frame 3 is provided midway between its ends with a striking plate I5. p

The numeral I6 marks a lower support in the form .of a block, :held ontheidoor '5 `bysecuring elements I'I.

In its top and at one endgthe lower support I6 has a. transverserecessor superficial cavity, which ris downwardly concaved, therecessdefining-op- .posedshoulders I8 and I9. At its recess end, the

lower support I6 has a vspindle 20.

A lower latch ybar 2| is mounted to-swing kon the Aspindle 20 'andisheld thereon by any suitable means indicated atr22. The. outer end ofthe latch bar 2| is rounded upwardly, as shown at 23, so as to have an easy engagement with the lower wear plate I4. The latch bar 2| is provided with a laterally extended finger 24, received in the recess of the lower support I6 and adapted to cooperate with the shoulders I8 and I9, one at a time.

Near its upper edge, the door 5 is provided with a latch mechanism so nearly like that discussed that parts hereinbefore described are designated by numerals already used, with the suffix a.

The supports I6 and Ita are duplicates, a circumstance which c-uts -down cost of manufacture. The support |6a, however, is inverted from the position occupied by the support I 6, the recess of the support |60, o-pening downwardly instead of upwardly. The end surface 23a of the latch bar 2|a slopes downwardly instead of upwardly.

Another difference between the two latch mechanisms is that the latch bar 2| is a little longer than the latch barZIa., and the spindle or pivot element 2B is so located in the latch bar 2| that the outer arm of the latch bar is longer than the inner arm: whereas, the spindle or pivot element 20a. is so located in the latch bar 2|a. that the outer arm of the latch bar is shorter than the inner arm. The latch bars 2| and 2 Ia, therefore, tend to overbalance into the positions shown in Fig. 1.

The result is that, when the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 1, the outer arm of the latch bar 2| is nearer the door 6 than is the outer arm of the latch bar Zia. As the door 6 is closed, the wear plate I4 comes into contact with the end surface 23 of the latch bar 2| rst, and, later, the wear plate I2 comes into contact with the end surface 23a with the latch bar 2 Ia. Less work is required to operate the latch bars 2| and 2|a than would be the case if they had to be operated together.

The closing of the door 6 swings the inner arm of the latch bar 2| down into engagement with the keeper plate 8, the inner arm of the latch bar 2 Ia. engages the striking plate I5, and the door 5 is held closed, without attention on the part of `the operator. The lock I 0 cooperates with the keeper II, and both doors are held securely closed.

The latch bar 2I is held in the position of Fig. 1 by the engagement between the finger 24 and the shoulder I8, the latch bar 2Ia being held in the position there shown, by the engagement between the nger 24a and the shoulder I9a, because the support I6a is inverted with respect to the support I6.

After the door 5 has been opened, the latch bar l2id cannot swing accidentally to an inoperative position, in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, because the nger 24a engages the shoulder I8a, and the latch bar 2I cannot swing accidentally to an inoperative position, because the iinger 24 engages the shoulder I9.

The engagement between the finger 24 and the shoulder I8 stops the latch bar 2I in a downwardly and inwardly slanting position, the engagement between the finger 24a and the shoulder Isa stopping the latch bar 2Ia. in a downwardly and outwardly slanting position. The latch bars 2i and 2 Ia, therefore, respond readily to the pressure exerted by the door 6, as it closes.

What is claimed is:

Latch mechanism for horizontally-swinging double doors, comprising upper and lower supports, each having a supercial, transverse cavity defining inner and outer rigid shoulders at the corresponding ends of the supports, upper and lower bar-latches, a pivot element connecting each latch with one support, the pivot elements f being so located that the inner arm of the upper latch is heavier than the outer arm thereof, and the outer arm of the lower latch heavier than the inner arm thereof, a rigid iinger projecting laterally from each latch and located in the cavity, between the shoulders, the nger of the upper latch being so located as to engage the outer shoulder of the upper support and stop said latch in a downwardly and outwardly slanting position, the finger of the lower latch being so located as to engage the outer shoulder of the lower support and stop the lower latch in a downwardly and inwardly slanting position, the ngers being so located that they will engage the respective inner shoulders and stop the latches in substantially vertical positions, and means for mounting the supports on one of a pair of double doors, in such positions that the outer arms of both latches will extend across the free vertical edge of said door when the latches slant as aforesaid, the inner arm ci the upper latch extending above said door, and the inner arm of the lower latch extending below said door, when the latches are in substantially vertical positions, the outer arm of the one latch extending outwardly farther than does the outer arm of the other latch, when the latches slant as aforesaid, to cause the latches to receive doori=mpact at diierent times.

JOHN H. HOBSON. `FRANK A. BURGER. 

